Chocolate withdrawal is a REAL thing
Seriously, the closest I’ve gotten to chocolate over the past week has been this new Too Faced Chocolate Bon Bons Palette ($49), and oh, the sweet, sweet torture of it! Why does it have to smell like chocolate?!
“Discover a candy-coated confection of heart-shaped delights with 16 matte and shimmer shades in cool pops of color, sugary brights, and beautiful go-to neutrals—all infused with our chocolate-scented, antioxidant-rich cocoa powder formula. Chocolate Bon Bons is the third palette in our bestselling Chocolate Bar Eye Shadow Collection (and some might say the cutest!). We’ve included our signature Glamour Guide with three beauty looks to get you started, but don’t stop there—the looks are limitless.”
With the whole gestational diabetes thing, I’m on a pretty strict meal plan until Baby Girl arrives in March. I gotta eat six times a day, which sounds like it could be super cool, but it’s sooo not, on account of how carefully I have to monitor my carbs and sugar.
Yeah, the days of stuffing myself silly with TJ’s Dark Chocolate Stars are gone, at least temporarily…
“Good thing I’m seven months pregnant and have been totally craving chocolate in massive amounts!” she said sarcastically as she took a big whiff of the palette that has been haunting her for days.
To summarize, I really, really, REALLY miss chocolate.
The Bon Bons Palette has been out about a month (note: it doesn’t actually come with the chocolate bar I’m holding here), and I played it pretty safe with this look because I didn’t want to go over the top. I blended the matte beige shade, Divinity, all over my lids, then swept the matte brown shade called Mocha into my crease before taking it along my lower lash lines.
I really like how easily the shadows blend together; it’s super easy to get them to gradient.
Yes, I just used gradient as a verb… Since I can’t have chocolate, I’m making up new rules to the English language, and YOU SHOULD JUST LET ME DO WHAT I WANT TO PLEASE BECAUSE I CAN’T HAVE CHOCOLATE.
Seriously, getting the colors to transition into one another is easy-peasy, and the shadows don’t look heavy on my skin.
My biggest refrain about this palette, and it doesn’t rise to the level of a complaint, is that the powders seem to have more “fluff” than usual for Too Faced shadows. I have to tap a little more than usual to unload the excess product from my brushes if I want to avoid fallout.
The glitter on my lids, by the way, was totally unplanned and spontaneous. I was cleaning out a drawer and found a jar of MAC 3D Glitter in 3D Brass Gold. I thought, what the hey! Might as well have fun, but I’m not sure how I feel about the way it turned out. There’s glitter, so YAY! — but I think it looks a little too yellow for me.
It is possible to cry over a piece of grapefruit…
One of the things I’ve had to get used to lately is not having fruit with my breakfast, which, if it weren’t for the gestational diabetes, I would normally do. From what I’ve heard from the docs, the perinatal services people and my friend Jen (she also had gestational diabetes when she was pregnant), eating fruit in the morning is a GD no-no, and this has broken my heart a little…maybe even more than not being able to eat copious amounts of chocolate.
I mean, I can still eat fruit, but only in small amounts, and only in the afternoon.
I honestly didn’t think I’d miss fruit this much, but I do, and I REALLY miss not being able to have a half a cold grapefruit first thing in the morning.
Anywho, I’m adjusting. Sometimes now I’ll have half a grapefruit for my afternoon snack; when I did that the other day, I actually cried tears of joy.
Fact: Checking your blood sugar four times a day will not cure you of your fear of needles
In case you were wondering…it does not.
Your friendly neighborhood beauty addict,
Karen
Kalli says
Aww, that sucks. But you’re in the home stretch! I’m stuck inside for the next 3 months or so because the mountain cedar pollen season here in central and south Texas is in full swing and I’m totally congested and headachey with an itchy throat. I’ve been drinking hot tea all day while washing all my sheets and blankets to get out any pollen I’ve dragged in. Blech.
Anyway, I’ve been eyeing this palette! It’s the first Chocolate Bar palette that’s really caught my eye and I might pick it up soon with my Ulta points, along with the Melted Chocolate Cherry lippie. I just hit over 1000 today when I got my hair colored and cut there.
Rachel says
I just love how the colors are in the shape of hearts! And good luck with the diabetes, I can tell from your posts that you are normally a pretty healthy person so I’m sure once you give birth to your beautiful baby you will be back to normal and able to consume chocolate with the rest of us!
Lily S. says
I make a huge (24oz) frozen smoothie (frozen fruit/coconut water) every day around 2pm and go to the gym or power walking. The body metabolizes the sugar when we are our at our most active and burns it off rather than stores it. I make and freeze my own blend of fruits, I buy them already frozen and mix them in a huge pot, then put them into baggies. My blend includes strawberries, peaches, cantalope & mellon. Sometimes I cut green apples or pears an add them to the baggies if i’m not too lazy. Try the frozen smoothies during the day an let me know how you like them. I added the link to my smoothie recipe!
Lulle says
Oh no! Sorry you have to go through all the poking to monitor your blood sugar (eeeek!), but the good thing is that it’s only temporary. When baby girl arrives you can get a chocolate revenge!
Lauren says
You are so gorgeous!!!
Soon you will be finished poking yourself, and will have BG in your arms!
Love the heart shapes of this pallette!
Fieran says
Hey Karen,
I hope you’re well. I was wondering if you could eat sugar free chocolates? When I did the elimination diet to clean up my system before working on identifying food intolerance issues, my nutritionist recommended sugar free chocolates that were sweetened with sugar alcohols. These chocolates kind of helped for when I really, really felt like eating something sweet on a cold and miserable winter day. They don’t taste the same, but they helped reduce my taste for sugar.
Jane says
Sorry to hear about the gestational diabetes, but as you know, it is temporary. I am not big on chocolate, but this time of the year, those Lindt truffles just seem to be everywhere. I will do my best to save some for you. The palette is cute, but not for me. I think my neice would like it and I may getbit and save it fir her High School graduation in June.
Anyway, time to get ready for work today. It’ll be a short day for me. Enjoy the home stretch (I do remember being antsy at 7-8 months). Have a good New Year!
LindaLibraLoca says
I am not that big on chocolate, but I can imagine it being hard around Christmas time. Stay strong, it isn’t very much longer!
Lisa says
If it’s any consolation, you’re an exceptionally cute pregnant lady.
Lena says
This palette is cute, but I need another eyeshadow palette like I need another nose.
I’ve never heard of gestational diabetes. Wow, the things that moms have to endure. Not much longer though, and you’ll have baby girl to kiss and hug, and Auntie Lena can not wait to see her all dressed up on this blog!
Kisses!
Kristi says
I love this palette! This is my favorite chocolate palette so far. A little powdery, yes, but I do my eyes first anyway.
So sorry to hear about your GD! Keep thinking healthy thoughts though, it’s for baby girl! 🙂
Ilene says
Karen, you are adorable and so funny. Usually, the GD goes away so you should be able to celebrate the arrival of the little princess with some Godiva or whatever chocolate rocks your world. Happy New Year!
LeAnn James says
While I was pregnant, I once cried because my partner took the honey to work. I had DREAMED about honey on a biscuit and thought all night about what a treat it would be when I woke up.. Just to find in the morning that the honey was gone. I think I’m still having a tough time getting over it, lol! The things that can set us off when we’re pregnant (:
Erin says
Did they clear you to eat apples, pears, and berries?
Rachel R. says
((((((((((Hugs))))))))))) No chocolate or fruit, that’s just inhuman! Baby Girl will be worth it, though, and she’ll be far sweeter than food.
I got this palette for Christmas, but haven’t had a chance to use it yet. I swatched it, and I’m very happy with the colors. I was bummed it didn’t smell as much like chocolate as the other two. I wonder if they toned down the amount of cocoa products used in it, and that’s also why it’s more powdery.
Katelyn says
I don’t own any of Too Faced chocolate palettes because I want to make a dent in the ones I own already (true words from a makeup addict). How does this one compare to their other chocolate palettes?
So sorry for the checking of sugar. Having any type of diabetes is no fun, and constant blood sugar checks are about as bad as major food cravings. Just plan for when you will be able to eat normal again, such as where you will eat out for the first time back to health normalcy. I’d say you are long deserved appetizer, meal, and fine chocolatey dessert. Here’s to staying strong, Karen. I know you can do it!
Anew says
Ah so sorry you have to go through this.. with my first preg in the 32nd week I had trouble breathing which I thought was due to the baby squishing my insides but in my reg checkup i was sent to the er asap..good call on that by the doc coz it turned out I had a blood clot right between my heart and lungs somewhere..they gave me a 15% survival rate if i did a c section right away with me being the priority not the baby OR i could wait it out and take blood thinner shots 2x a day and give birth 2 weeks bfor the due date by putting me in forced/planned labor. Ofcourse option 2 was the way to go.
Let me tell you i cried everytime i needed to give myself those shots on my thighs and arms coz i was too chicken to do it in my stomach eek. I always avoided dr appts bfor i was preg just so i wud not need to do any blood tests or flu shots. Ironic. My husband tried the first time and he left the needle hanging coz he got so nervous lol. He was doomed that day.
Well then it was over. And 18 mos later i was preg Again and guess what..that time as precautionary steps i had to take the damn shots 1x day everyday of my entire pregnancy. It took a huge toll on me.
It sucked. But it was for my babies. And now i dont remember how sucky it was.
Good luck!
Efrain says
Karen remember this is temporary and why don’t you try 70% cacao chocolate or even 100% cacao, sure they aren’t sweet but they can leave you with reminiscent of chocolate flavor.
anusha says
Please don’t eat sugar free foods containing xylitol and such karen..it’s not good for diabetes.. i’m advising u as a doctor.
I feel so sad that u have to go thru this difficult phase..but plough on the way u r going carefully and u’ll forget everything else wen cute lil baby girl comes along.. 🙂
Kiss & Make-up says
Awwww this would KILL me 🙁 I feel for you, Karen, poor thing. BUT, at least it’s only temporary.
India says
Those shadows look beautiful! They so smell like chocolate I totally agree!
xx,
India
Amy says
I love that glitter on you, when I saw it I thought “That’s an unusual look for Karen and more yellow than I’d expect, but her eyes look so wide awake and fresh!” You always look fresh and awake, of course, but this is a different look that enhances in a fun way. The yellowy gold on you looks great!